Sidetracked Sarahhttp://www.sidetrackedsarah.com
Crockpot Freezer Meals | Busy Moms | Frozen Crockpot Meals | Crafting with Children | Living Life FrugallyTue, 03 Mar 2015 12:00:00 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.22 of My Favorite Skinny Gut Shake Recipeshttp://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/03/favorite-skinny-gut-shake-recipes/
http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/03/favorite-skinny-gut-shake-recipes/#respondTue, 03 Mar 2015 12:00:00 +0000http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/?p=8004This post brought to you by Renew Life Formulas. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Sidetracked Sarah. I’m having a great time using Renew Life Skinny Gut Ultimate Shakes! It has become an easy habit to get up and go straight to my blender to begin making my morning shake. Because […]

This post brought to you by Renew Life Formulas. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Sidetracked Sarah.

I’m having a great time using Renew Life Skinny Gut Ultimate Shakes! It has become an easy habit to get up and go straight to my blender to begin making my morning shake. Because I’m trying to stay away from sugar most of the time, sometimes I prefer to indulge in more chocolatey type shakes, to give me my chocolate fix. Sometimes, I like it extra chocolatey and add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and a little NuStevia to sweeten the shake a bit more. But other times, the nice pink shade of a Strawberry Vanilla shake gets me excited and makes me feel like I’m having my favorite Strawberry Shake from Sonic….well, almost anyway. LOL. They do, however, make me feel like I’m having dessert for breakfast!

When preparing my shakes, I’ve learned to add my powder while the blender is already blending some liquid. That way, the powder doesn’t stick to the side of the blender jar and it gets mixed in nice and smooth. I’ve also learned that I prefer my shakes extra cold, so I always blend ice or frozen strawberries as part of my recipe. Sometimes, I even stick it in the freezer for a while for an extra frosty treat.

Strawberry Vanilla Shake

Place almond milk and frozen strawberries in blender and blend on high for 30 seconds to a minute. After it is nicely mixed, add your scoop of Skinny Gut Shake Mix while the blender is still running. Let it mix together well for another 30 seconds or so. Pour into your glass and enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

Place almond milk and frozen strawberries or ice in blender and blend on high for 30 seconds to a minute. After it is nicely mixed, add your scoop of Skinny Gut Shake Mix, cocoa and peanut butter while the blender is still running. Let it mix together well for another 30 seconds or so. Taste. If you’re a dark chocolate lover, this may be plenty sweet for you, but if you prefer your chocolate sweeter, you may need to add a little bit of NuStevia to make it just sweet enough. Pour into your glass and enjoy! That’s it!

These shakes are super easy and so delicious. Next week, I’ll share just how I’m doing on this program and if I’ve noticed any changes in my health…so stay tuned! And as always, if you have a little weight to lose and would like to join me on my weight loss journey, please do in our Facebook group called Sidetracked by Weight Loss! You can also follow the Skinny Gut conversation by following hashtag #SkinnyGutShake on Facebook and Twitter.

]]>http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/03/favorite-skinny-gut-shake-recipes/feed/0March Photo Challenge – #SidetrackedMarchhttp://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/03/31-days-instagram-photos-join-challenge/
http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/03/31-days-instagram-photos-join-challenge/#respondSun, 01 Mar 2015 12:49:50 +0000http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/?p=7998Good morning! Happy 1st day of March to you! Are you ready for some fun this month? Have I got a challenge for you. It’s not a hard challenge like the Organized Home Challenge we’ve got going on. It’s a little more fun and a lot less time consuming, only taking a minute or less each […]

]]>Good morning! Happy 1st day of March to you! Are you ready for some fun this month? Have I got a challenge for you. It’s not a hard challenge like the Organized Home Challenge we’ve got going on. It’s a little more fun and a lot less time consuming, only taking a minute or less each day!

This month, I challenge you to take at least one picture a day! Share it on Instagram and use our hashtag: #SidetrackedMarch

While you can take any picture you want to, feel free to follow this fun guide, to help keep you going with original pictures. There is only one word for each day, so you can interpret that word any way that you want to. For instance, love can be something or someone you love. Organized could be your most organized space, or something that doesn’t belong to you that you would like to be more like.

Your subjects are as follows:

Start by following me on Instagram here: Sidetracked Sarah on Instagram and then join in with your picture taking fun! Feel free to join in at any time, even if you happen to stumble upon this after March 1st. Oh and if you’re in…. please say so by leaving me a comment, emailing me or posting it on Instagram or Facebook.

]]>http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/03/31-days-instagram-photos-join-challenge/feed/0How to Save Big Money on Fresh Producehttp://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/save-big-money-fresh-produce/
http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/save-big-money-fresh-produce/#respondSat, 28 Feb 2015 12:41:04 +0000http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/?p=7990 We have a large family with 7 awesome and ornery kids. They eat A LOT! Because of this, we always like to keep fresh produce in the house. Of course, with me trying to lose weight, this is a good thing for me, too. In our town, we have one mostly overpriced, small […]

We have a large family with 7 awesome and ornery kids. They eat A LOT! Because of this, we always like to keep fresh produce in the house. Of course, with me trying to lose weight, this is a good thing for me, too.

In our town, we have one mostly overpriced, small grocery store and we have Walmart. I do a lot of my daily shopping needs at Walmart, but we try to stock up at Aldi and Sam’s once a month in a larger city. One of my favorite reasons to go to Aldi is because of the amazing prices on fresh produce that they have. Their sales alternate from week to week, but we eat oranges like crazy in the winter months, thanks to Aldi sales.

I had heard that you could price match Aldi prices at Walmart, but I never realized that applied to me, since I didn’t have an Aldi in my town. I learned though, that your Aldi can be as many as 45 miles away and Walmart will still price match (some stores may vary from this). It took me a while to get up the guts to do it, but finally, I brought in my phone with the Aldi ad loaded onto it and showed them my ad, and they quickly changed the prices for me as they rung me up.

The first week, I tried this, I bought some mushrooms for 99 cents, and 10 avocados for 29 cents a piece! What’s nice about this is that Aldi avocados tend to be really small, but these from Walmart were really big!

I spent around $14 for a little more than 25 pounds of fresh produce! Now that’s a steal!

If you have an Aldi in your town, I’d be sure to shop there first if I can, since they are so kind to offer such amazing deals, but….if you don’t, and know you wouldn’t make it otherwise, this is an awesome option! The sales change every Wednesday, so be sure to get to the store each week by Tuesday evening.

I love not stressing about the amount of money I’m spending on fresh produce. I also love getting a great deal.

What about you? Have you tried this before? How do you save money on fresh produce?

P.S. If you missed out on the free Big Hero 6 DVD (after rebate), it looks like they extended the offer through Saturday (while supplies last). Be sure to check out the details in this post…..to get your free DVD.

]]>http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/save-big-money-fresh-produce/feed/05 Amazing Ideas to Help You Organize Under Your Kitchen Sinkhttp://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/under-kitchen-sink-organization/
http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/under-kitchen-sink-organization/#respondThu, 26 Feb 2015 13:16:11 +0000http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/?p=7960Once upon a time, there was a girl, “happily” doing her dishes, when she noticed a puddle on her floor at her feet. “Oh no”, she exclaimed, “Where is all that water coming from?” The water, was coming from under the sink. The pipes had come apart, allowing water to escape and drip onto the […]

]]>Once upon a time, there was a girl, “happily” doing her dishes, when she noticed a puddle on her floor at her feet. “Oh no”, she exclaimed, “Where is all that water coming from?” The water, was coming from under the sink. The pipes had come apart, allowing water to escape and drip onto the cabinet below. That girl was me and this has happened to me several times over the past few years. In addition to a problem with leaky pipes (that we believe is finally fixed once and for all), under the sink is also one of the places in the house that the mice seem to congregate. We are surrounded on 3 sides with farmer’s fields and any time the farmer does anything out in those fields, the mice come running straight for our house.

Because of the problems we’ve had under our kitchen sinks, I’ve learned to cut back on the clutter that I keep down there. That doesn’t mean that I still don’t have clutter, it’s just quickly removable and can easily be cleaned if need be. I used to keep plastic bags and all sorts of stuff down there, now I mostly just keep cleaning supplies, light bulbs and flashlights.

In trying to figure out just how I’m going to redo my space again, I found a lot of really COOL ideas of how to organize under a kitchen sink.

5 Amazing Ideas to Help You Get Your Kitchen Sink Cabinet Organized!

(affiliate links have been used in this post)

1. Try lining the bottom of your cabinet with a piece of laminate or sticky tiles.

That way if the sink leaks, it will not be sitting on wood. If you choose a light color, you will be able to see if a mouse has been down there pretty easily, too. Laminate tiles wipe clean very easily and will help you to keep your space clean!

2. Use Sliding Baskets or Drawers.

By installing a sliding basket, you’ll have easier access to what is under your sink because it will pull out easily. You could try something like this Rubbermaid basket:

or this cute 2 tier sliding basket:

3. Use Stacking Drawers

This will help you to utilize your space so much more and will keep everything that you store in them protected. Be sure to measure your space and maximize the amount of drawer space you can get under there.

4. Utilize the Door for Storage

You can attach baskets, door organizers or metal containers. Either way, you will enjoy having the space to store the things you grab for the most often.

5. Use Under Shelf Baskets

I ilke this idea for utilizing all of your space. This would require you to install a board for these shelves to hang from, as it will not be able to hang from your kitchen sink. :) Here’s what it could look like, complements of Crafts Alamode. (You should check out her whole post of what she did under her sink, it’s amazing!)

You can buy the shelves at Amazon that look like this:

Which of these options appeals the most to you?

Have you been following me in this get organized series? Did you know that I often pin my inspiration photos on Pinterest? One great board right now to follow is my Kitchen Organizing Tips. I’d love it if you’d follow me there (and pin this post!)

NEXT WEEK:

We’re going to be going through our kitchen junk drawer(s). Do you have a great way that you keep your junk drawer organized? Or does it explode all over the place every time you open it? What do you keep in your junk drawer? I’m looking for advice to share with others….and would love to include yours! Please share here with me, email me or share with me on Facebook, so I can share your ideas. Pictures are always appreciated, too!

]]>http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/under-kitchen-sink-organization/feed/0Free Big Hero 6 DVD (After Rebate)http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/free-big-hero-6-dvd-rebate/
http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/free-big-hero-6-dvd-rebate/#respondWed, 25 Feb 2015 17:28:54 +0000http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/?p=7975I don’t often post deals on this site, but I’ve been debating about adding a deals section. How do you feel about that? Would you be annoyed? If I did it, would you prefer to have the option to opt out of those emails? Until I figure that out, I’m going to share a […]

]]>I don’t often post deals on this site, but I’ve been debating about adding a deals section. How do you feel about that? Would you be annoyed? If I did it, would you prefer to have the option to opt out of those emails?

Until I figure that out, I’m going to share a deal that I just took advantage of. It may go quick, so act fast! My teens went and saw this in the movies and loved it….we shall see what we parents think, lol.

Follow the directions below:

You should see a $16.50 rebate for Big Hero 6. Click the link, order it (you can choose in-store pickup, it’s from Walmart!), and you’ll see a $16.50 credit within 14 days, which you can elect to have transferred to Paypal or your checking account.

]]>http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/free-big-hero-6-dvd-rebate/feed/0My Plan of Action – Using Skinny Gut Shakeshttp://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/skinny-gut-shakes-plan/
http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/skinny-gut-shakes-plan/#commentsTue, 24 Feb 2015 16:16:28 +0000http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/?p=7876This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Renew Life Formulas for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. Last week, I told you about how I was planning to start using the Renew Life Skinny Gut Ultimate Shakes to help me to lose weight*. Today, I wanted to tell you my plan of exactly […]

I’ve had the chance to try them out, plain, with nothing but liquid added to it. On the directions of each bottle, it says to add one scoop of shake mix with 10 oz of water or other liquid. I decided to go with almond milk, as a lot of the smoothie recipes that are attached to the package call for almond milk.

First, I tried the chocolate. I really didn’t know what to expect. I’ve had chocolate shake mixes that didn’t taste very chocolatey at all….so much so that I had to add another scoop of cocoa to it. Not Skinny Gut shakes. The chocolate tastes great! It’s not chalky, nor is it too bitter. It’s the perfect blend of sweetness and chocolate. I love it!

2nd, I tried the vanilla shake. While I prefer chocolate because I’m a chocolate lover, it was equally as good of a product in taste and I have nothing negative to say about it all. It tasted great! I love how each shake mix does not leave an aftertaste or funky feeling in my mouth. It is smooth and pleasing to my taste buds! Definitely a win for Renew Life Skinny Gut Ultimate Shakes!

How I Plan to Use the Renew Life Skinny Gut Shakes:

It’s no secret that I really, really struggle with eating healthy foods consistently. Using these shakes is one way that I will be able to make better decisions regarding food. If I only have one meal a day to think about food with, my calorie intake will be lower and my overall health will be better.

I plan to:

Drink a shake for breakfast 5-7x a week

Drink a shake for lunch 5-7x per week

Make them as a smoothie on a regular basis, changing up the flavors for variety.

Plan good snacks each day so that I still feel like I’ve had something to chew on and so I’m not tempted to cheat during the hard times.

Eat a sensible dinner, that is low in carbs and sugar and high in protein and fiber.

Exercise daily, building muscle that will eat my fat away.

Reduce sugar consumption all together.

I have a goal of losing 75 pounds. It can be scary thinking about such a large number, but ultimately, I plan to take it little by little, 10 pounds at a time. I started making changes on January 10th and I’m already down 7 pounds and several inches! I’m looking forward to seeing what making even more changes can do for my body. Because the shakes are good at curbing appetite and cravings, I have a feeling my success will begin to gain momentum soon.*

See how others are using Skinny Gut Shakes! Use hashtag #SkinnyGutShake on Facebook and Twitter. If you’re also on a weight loss journey, join me in my new weight loss group on Facebook: Sidetracked by Weight Loss.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

]]>http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/skinny-gut-shakes-plan/feed/1*FREE* Winter Fun Mini Play and Learn Printable Packhttp://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/free-winter-fun-mini-play-learn-printable-pack/
http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/free-winter-fun-mini-play-learn-printable-pack/#respondMon, 23 Feb 2015 12:00:35 +0000http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/?p=7917It seems that the bad weather and snow in the New England states is never going to end. Here in the south, we have had a very comfortable winter so far. Lots of 65 and 70 degree days wearing flipflops and plenty of sunshine. But I guess all good things have to come to an […]

It seems that the bad weather and snow in the New England states is never going to end.

Here in the south, we have had a very comfortable winter so far. Lots of 65 and 70 degree days wearing flipflops and plenty of sunshine.

But I guess all good things have to come to an end at some point, Right?

If our local weather man is correct, then it’s coming to an end very soon.

We are predicted to have bad weather of freezing rain and snow for most of next week. I can deal with snow, okay maybe a inch or two, but it’s the sleet and freezing rain that I cannot live with.

We are so used to not getting much bad weather that when it does happen, it send our small rural town into a panic.

Next week Iwill be keeping my grand- daughter while my daughter and son-in-law go out of town on business. I plan to have the pantry and freezer stocked but I also need activities prepared as well. Of course, we have movies, books and puzzles but I wanted to create something fun to do just in case the bad weather does hit.

After I thought about it, I decided to do a Winter Fun Mini Play and Learn Printable Pack, (geared for Pre-K-1) because what better activity to do in the snow than printables about snowmen and snowflakes.

Miranda, is a Crunchy, Country Mama giving her look on a Homemade Life of Homeschool, Good Eats, (Mis) Adventures, and Living Grace-Filled Everyday @GraceandGravy with a side of life! Miranda has been married to her sweet husby for 16 years and a homeschool mama to 2 kiddos at home. She loves her four-legged, fur babies and they make her life complete. Miranda is passionate about Guatemala Missions, Early Farmhouse Life/Decor, and learning to be a Self-Sufficient Homesteader!

]]>http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/free-winter-fun-mini-play-learn-printable-pack/feed/0How to Make Snow Ice Cream ~ Recipehttp://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/how-to-make-snow-ice-cream-recipe/
http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/how-to-make-snow-ice-cream-recipe/#respondFri, 20 Feb 2015 12:11:52 +0000http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/?p=7945Are you getting sick of the snow yet? We actually haven’t gotten much this year, here in Kansas, but I hear most of the rest of the United States did. This past week, we had our 2nd snow of the “snowy season”. We had a few inches on the ground and it promptly melted by […]

]]>Are you getting sick of the snow yet? We actually haven’t gotten much this year, here in Kansas, but I hear most of the rest of the United States did. This past week, we had our 2nd snow of the “snowy season”. We had a few inches on the ground and it promptly melted by the next day. It just happened to be the day that my daughter had to go to the doctor in a town 2 hours away…so most of the kids didn’t enjoy playing out in it. My teenagers, however, stayed home and before we were even half done with our day, my 15 year old daughter had texted me, asking if she could make snow ice cream. I told her, sure, just make sure the snow is clean….and especially not yellow. LOL I knew she’d love the thought of yellow snow.

We got home and she made us all some fresh snow ice cream. We were pleasantly surprised how much we enjoyed the snow ice cream. In fact, I even let my 11 month old baby try some….and she was really mad when the bowl was empty, lol. (She was eating her peas here….right before she got some ice cream…)

]]>http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/how-to-make-snow-ice-cream-recipe/feed/0If You’ve Ever Thought About Trying T-Tapp (BIG SALE)http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/youve-ever-thought-trying-t-tapp-big-sale/
http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/youve-ever-thought-trying-t-tapp-big-sale/#respondTue, 17 Feb 2015 16:41:21 +0000http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/?p=7941I’ve been talking about how awesome the T-tapp exercise program is for a long time now. The truth is, every time I use it, I drop inches quickly. I’m currently doing a 60 day Challenge, trying to drop as many inches as possible in 60 days. I’ve gotten a bit off track (that seems to […]

]]>I’ve been talking about how awesome the T-tapp exercise program is for a long time now. The truth is, every time I use it, I drop inches quickly. I’m currently doing a 60 day Challenge, trying to drop as many inches as possible in 60 days. I’ve gotten a bit off track (that seems to be usual for me), but…I’m still trying and will be completing this challenge, even if I’m not as consistent as I should be. My goal this year is to be so consistent with T-tapp that I’ll never allow more than a week between workouts! Even better would be never allowing more than a couple of days!

Anyway, every month, Teresa puts something on Deep Discount, for one Tuesday a month. This month, the sale is so spectacular, I’d be mean not to tell you about it. The full workout, called Total Workout is half price! That means it’s usually $80 but now it’s $40 plus FREE SHIPPING! I JUST bought this last month for full price AND paid shipping. (I’ve had the full workout on VHS for a long time…and finally upgraded to DVD). Not only that, but it also comes with the famous 15 minute Basic Workout Plus, and 3 more bonus DVD’s! Some people have lost what they wanted to by just doing the 15 minute workout.

]]>http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/youve-ever-thought-trying-t-tapp-big-sale/feed/0And the Winner of the Slow Cooker + Menus is…….http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/winner-slow-cooker-menus/
http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/2015/02/winner-slow-cooker-menus/#respondMon, 16 Feb 2015 12:08:41 +0000http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/?p=7936I bet you already forgot about the slow cooker giveaway didn’t you? It’s only been about a month ago that I asked you to fill out that survey. It was for a chance to win a slow cooker and recipe book package. Well….it took me a while, but I have FINALLY picked a winner! I […]

]]>I bet you already forgot about the slow cooker giveaway didn’t you? It’s only been about a month ago that I asked you to fill out that survey. It was for a chance to win a slow cooker and recipe book package. Well….it took me a while, but I have FINALLY picked a winner! I used Random.org, to keep it completely fair (and there was over 600 entries).

The winning number was 216! I didn’t get names with the survey, but I did get an email. I won’t be giving the winner’s email address away to everyone out here, but I’ll give you part of it…..in case it’s you and you didn’t get my email yet…..

If your email looks similar to this (filling in the stars with the correct letters/numbers), you are the winner! Congratulations!!

regs*****r3@aol.com

She won this slow cooker and ebook package:

I wish I had 665 more slow cookers that I could afford to give away to all of you, but unfortunately, I’d be completely bankrupt, lol…but….you can still take advantage of the weekend sale that we have going on right now.

For the first time and likely the last time for this bundle all together, my friends Tabitha from MeetPenny.com and Sharla from The Chaos and the Clutter have teamed up with me to offer you some amazing cookbooks and recipes! All of my ebooks are included in this bundle, that means, you’ll get Weeks 1-8, plus my Walmart menu, plus Sharla’s Chicken Dump recipes and Tabitha’s Oven Free Dinners and more! Seriously, this is the last day to get in on this great sale….so get it before this combination of books goes away forever! You can read more about the sale here: